I'll Walk
by jayhogartismyangel
Summary: An argument leads to a rather tragic event. One that will test both KC and Claire. A TwoShot
1. Part One

**I'll Walk**

**A/N:This is based of a beautiful but sad song that I heard on the radio. TwoShot**

**Part One.**

"I don't need you to tell me what I freak I am KC! I hear enough of that from everyone else in this school and I don't want to hear it from you!" Claire Edwards shouted to her friend KC Guthrie in a harsh full of fire.

"I wasn't calling you a freak Claire! **GOD!** You should know that I would _never _do that!" KC yelled back at her,gripping his hair in frustration. Why wouldn't she listen to what he was telling her?

Claire looked at him,her intelligant blue eyes cold and hard. "Just leave me alone KC. Okay? Just don't---don't talk to me." She told him in a deadly whisper before turning on her heel and rushing out of the school.

KC just stood in his spot staring after her in shock. Suddenly,the sickening squeal of tires filled the air and a half a dozen shouts penetrated the air. He heard a sharp,loud and desperate scream before all was silent. Dreading the worst,he rushed out of the school and saw students crowded around something in the middle of the road. When he went to see what everyone was looking at,he felt someone grab onto his arm in desperation,obviously trying to stop him. He shook them off and ran into the circle,freezing in horror at what he saw.

Claire lay on the ground,motionless. Her face was bruised and bloodied and her legs were twisted at an odd angle. Her blood was soaking through her pristine private school uniform and her glasses lay broken on the ground next to her head.

"NO!" He shouted,lunging down beside her body. A shaky hand touched her face,becoming wet with red blood. A strangled sob escaped his lips as he picked up her destroyed glasses and clutched them to his chest. He could hear people crying and whimpering all around him and yet he simply didn't care. Claire was hurt and that was taking up all his mind.

An ambulance hurried up to the school,sirens blaring. The paramedics got out and walked over to where Claire and KC were but KC just wouldn't budge.

Alli came up as the crowd parted and rested a gentle hand on KC's shoulder. The young man looked at her with red,puffy eyes and her heart broke. "You've got to get out of the way KC. The paramedics have to do their job." She said softly.

KC stood up reluctantly and backed away,letting her put an arm around his shoulders as he watched Claire get placed in the ambulance. He shot off and jumped inside,telling the paramedics he needed to be there with her.

The paramedics just shook their heads at him but didn't refuse his request.

______

As soon as they got to the hospital,Claire was rushed into surgery. It seemed that she had broken ribs and a concussion. The worst part though was what happened with her legs. They had been twisted in such an impossible way that it was quite possible that Claire might never walk again. The doctors had told KC,Connor,Alli,and Claire's parents not to give up hope but KC couldn't help but be bitter. Where had hope been when this had happened? Why did it even happen? And to Claire of all people? KC couldn't help but blame himself for what had happened. Claire had been upset with him when she ran blindingly out of the school. He didn't quite know what he'd done but he was sorry for whatever it was.

**To be continued.**


	2. Part Two

**I'll Walk**

**Part Two**

KC watched as Claire's parents and Connor and Alli took turns seeing her. Mrs. Edwards had told him that he could go first if he wished but he had refused. He didn't feel as if he deserved to see her,after all _he_ was the cause of her accident. With a groan he put his head in his hands,resting his elbows on his knees. He was startled when someone suddenly tapped him on his left shoulder. He looked up with his eyes glistening with tears.

Alli stood there with one hand on her hip as her other hip rested against the wall. "Are you going in to see Claire?" She asked in a soft voice full of sympathy.

KC just shook his head,feeling sick to his stomach.

Alli's voice suddenly took on a hardness he had never expected. "So what,your going to act as if this didn't happen? Your going to act like you don't care? I'm disappointed in you KC. Me,Connor,her mom,and dad are trying to get her to wake up and yet you aren't even willing to go in that damned hospital room and take her hand and talk to her!" Her hand suddenly came out of nowhere and slapped him across his face before she stomped off in a huff.

He touched his reddening cheek with a hand,wincing in slight discomfort. He sighed to himself. Perhaps Alli was right. Perhaps he **SHOULD** go in and see Claire. Making his decision quickly,he stood to his feet and on legs shaking from nerves,he walked into her room.

Claire lay on the hospital bed completely motionless and pale except for the bruises on her face. She was hooked up to all sorts of IV's. He could feel his heart break into pieces at how delicate and fragile she looked under the hospital sheet. He glanced down to where her legs were and felt his heart sink. What would Claire do when she found out she might never be able to walk again? He walked over to the bed and seated himself in the chair next to it,scooting closer. At first he didn't know what to do with his hands,finally he came to a decision and placed his hand over her's.

"Hey Claire. I---I admit that at first,I didn't want to come in here and see you like this. Helpless,I guess. But Alli,Alli convinced me to stop being a jackass and get my butt in here. Claire,I am _so_ sorry for arguing with you. I know that your in here because you were so upset with me. I never meant to make you think that I thought you were a freak. I actually think your----amazing and wonderful and smart." He took a deep breath to prepare himself for what else he was about to say. "I really like you Claire. I like you as so much more than just a friend. So you just need to wake up Claire. Me,Connor,Alli,your mom and dad...we need you to wake up. I know you can do it Claire,please wake up." He said pleadingly,bringing her hand to his lips to kiss it. He suddenly felt a hand threading through his shaggy hair and his gaze flew up to Claire's face. She was staring back at him with wide,slightly frightened blue eyes.

"KC?" She whispered his name croakly.

"Claire." He stated happily,smiling at her as he brushed the hair from her forehead with one hand.

She gave him a tentative smile back before she frowned and her eyes became filled with horror. "KC? Why can't I feel my legs?" She asked in an urgent whisper,tugging at the blanket so she could see the damage that had been done.

He looked down at the blankets,fiddling with a piece of string that was hanging from it. He couldn't meet her eyes. "I think your mother or father should be the one to tell you." He told her quietly,voice husky.

"No." Claire whimpered,grabbing his hand gently to get his attention. "I want _you_ to tell me KC. _you_."

KC sighed,his eyes flitting back to her,his gaze shifted once again to the blanket for a single moment before he said,"The doctors...the doctors said that there is a chance that you could be....paralyzed." He swallowed his tears quickly,Claire didn't need to see him crying that woul only upset her farther.

She didn't say anything for a while and at first KC wondered if she had heard them then finally she said,"Oh."

It was said so simply,as if it wasn't anything serious. KC was shocked,he acted more upset then she did. He looked at her in disbelief. "How can you be so calm Claire?" He wondered aloud,shaking his head lightly.

Claire threaded her fingers through his and shrugged. "Because if I am paralyzed for life,it must've happened for a reason." She told him.

He looked at her. "Claire,this did not happen for a reason. It happened because of **_ME_**. You were upset with _me._ You wouldn't even be here if we hadn't gotten in that argument." He said bitterly,hating himself in that moment.

"I overreacted KC. I shouldn't have run out like I did." She told him weakly feeling ashamed. She knew that KC would never be cruel to her so she honestly didn't understand why she acted the way she did. Why did she believe a guy she barely knew over her friend?

KC laughed slightly,tasting his salty tears on his lips. "Neither of us should have acted like we did." He agreed with a nod of his head.

Suddenly the grin fell off Claire's face almost as soon as it had appeared. "KC? Did you mean what you said? Before I woke up,I mean? About liking me as more than just a friend?" She asked,looking into his gorgeous green gaze.

He bit his lip nervously,a hint of a blush beginning to creep up his neck. "I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true Claire. You know that." He stated.

Claire began to blush as well,a silly smile appearing on her lips. "I hoped you would say that." She said huskily,voice scratchy.

KC immediatly took the pink jug of water and poured the water into the plastic cup next to it. "Here." He said,handing it to her.

She gave him a thankful smile and drank the water thirstly. Once she was quenched,she handed the cup to him so he could put it on the stand then she placed a gentle hand on his wrist,giving him as much of a flirty smile as she could manage but failing because of her bashfulness.

He looked at her with wide eyes,filled with surprise as she pulled him down to her level and kissed him softly. Their lips fit together so perfectly,it was as if they were made for one another.

When they pulled away,Claire looked at him sweetly,face still flushed. "Whatever happens,whether or not I walk again and I _know_ that I will,I can handle it...as long as you are right there with me." She said in a firm,determined voice that allowed no argument----not that that KC would've argued anyway.

KC smiled back at her confidently before kissing her at the corner of her mouth once more.

**A/N: So I may write another oneshot/twoshot that says whether she walks again or not. It really just depends.**


End file.
